The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (H.A.D.S) is a screening device for measuring the severity of anxiety and depression separately. H.A.D.S can be used for all ages from adolescence upwards.
The H.A.D.S is a test which indicates whether someone is 'within the normal range', or in a 'mildly', 'moderate' or 'severely' disordered state in relation to anxiety and/or depression.
is it an accurate measure?
Yes. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale is a valid and reliable self-rating scale that measures anxiety and depression in both hospital and community settings. H.A.D.S gives clinically meaningful results as a psychological screening tool. It can assess the symptom severity and caseness of anxiety disorders and depression in patients with illness, and the general population.
H.A.D.S can detect the presence and severity of mild degrees of mood disorder, anxiety and depression using one brief diagnosis, comprising of 14 questions. Understanding your diagnosis can enable therapy to be specific to your needs, and therefore establishing a more effective outcome. An overall diagnosis of a patient is taken into consideration, which includes observation of physical as well as psychological symptoms.
what are the symptoms of each condition?
Some symptoms of depression and anxiety overlap, such as problems with sleep, irritability, and difficulty concentrating. But there are several key differences that help distinguish between the two.
depression:
Feeling down, sad, or upset is normal. It can be concerning feeling that way for several days or weeks on end. Physical symptoms and behavioural changes caused by depression include:
physical symptoms and behavioural changes caused by depression include:
- decreased energy, chronic fatigue, or feeling sluggish frequently
- difficulty concentrating, making decisions, or recalling
- pain, aches, cramps, or gastrointestinal problems without any clear cause
- changes in appetite or weight
- difficulty sleeping, waking early, or oversleeping
anxiety:
Anxiety, or fear and worry, can happen to anyone from time to time, too. It's not unusual to experience anxiety before a big event or important decision. But, chronic anxiety can be debilitating and lead to irrational thoughts and fears that interfere with your daily life.
physical symptoms and behavioural changes caused by generalised anxiety disorder include:
- feeling fatigued easily
- difficulty concentrating or recalling
- muscle tension
- racing heart
- grinding teeth
- sleep difficulties, including problems falling asleep and restless, unsatisfying sleep
If you think you may be anxious or depressed, remember there's always help. You can call and speak with Andy at his clinic on 02921 203 103 or Email: help@andygarland.co.uk
If you need to speak to someone urgently at anytime day or night, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or email: jo@samaritians.org.
